A's launch 7 homers in wild 12-inning, 29-run introduction to Vegas

LAS VEGAS -- Shea Langeliers turned on a first-pitch fastball from Brewers left-hander Kyle Harrison and sent a towering fly ball through the dry Nevada air that clanked off the Las Vegas Ballpark signage high above the left-field wall, setting off a barrage of green fireworks into the sky.

This was the unofficial grand arrival of the A’s to Southern Nevada. Before they formally relocate to a new ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip in 2028, Langeliers’ 17th home run of the year to lead off the bottom of the first inning provided a sold-out crowd at Las Vegas Ballpark -- home of the A’s Triple-A affiliate Las Vegas Aviators – an early opportunity to rise as one and cheer on its future home team.

“The atmosphere was good,” Langeliers said. “There was a lot of energy. Cool production to start with a flyover. Those are always awesome. I thought it was cool.”

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That Langeliers blast was just the table-setter from an offense that gave Vegas plenty to get excited about on a night in which the A’s mashed seven homers -- including a pair of two-homer games by Tyler Soderstrom and Nick Kurtz -- before falling to the Brewers, 15-14, in a wild 12-inning affair on Monday night to kick off a special six-game homestand just about 13 miles west from the construction site of their new home.

Several of these current A’s who have already called Las Vegas Ballpark home as Minor Leaguers knew to expect a high-scoring game. This building holds a reputation as one of the more hitter-friendly environments in the Pacific Coast League. That was certainly the case on Monday, with both teams combining for 29 runs on 34 hits, including 11 homers.

Seeing double-digit outbursts from both sides was not exactly a shock for Langeliers. He saw plenty of nights like this during his time with the Aviators in 2022 before debuting in the big leagues later that season.

“Especially when you get to the middle of the summer and it starts getting hot,” Langeliers said. “The ball just keeps carrying. It’s a very offensive park.”

The wackiness of this one only intensified as the night went on. After the Brewers pushed ahead with four runs in the top of the 10th, the A’s responded by mounting an unlikely four-run rally with two outs, capped by Jonah Heim coming off the bench as a pinch-hitter and following a two-run homer from Kurtz by drilling a game-tying solo blast off Brewers reliever Aaron Ashby.

A’s reliever José Suarez kept it tied with a scoreless 11th, but his run allowed on a fielder’s choice by Brice Turang in the 12th was enough for Milwaukee to escape with a victory as the A’s stranded runners at the corners in the bottom half to end it.

"Definitely an offensive game tonight on both sides,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “They swung the bats, we swung the bats. It's unfortunate that we just couldn't push another run across to keep the game going. Any time you cough up a late lead, it's tough. Our guys rallied. … Both teams grinded this game out. Obviously, there has to be a winner, and we end up on the losing side."

By Major League standards, Monday’s game was unlike anything we’ve really seen. Including this one, there have been just two 15-14 games in MLB over the last 25 years. Coincidentally, the Brewers were involved in and won both games as the visitors, last doing so on Aug. 17, 2019, against the Nationals.

At four hours and 14 minutes, Monday’s marathon was also the longest game in MLB so far this season -- by two minutes.

“Just an all-around crazy game,” Langeliers said. “For both teams to score four in the 10th inning and that game to keep going, and then both teams have a shutdown 11th, that’s kind of just wild. Both teams battled all night. It was a great baseball game.”

It was also a historic baseball game. With it being the A’s first regular-season Major League game played at Las Vegas Ballpark, the Baseball Hall of Fame is keeping a few artifacts from this one. Among those: The first pitch of the game thrown by A’s starter Jeffrey Springs, an exclusive A’s baseball jersey with the No. 28 and “Vegas” name on the back that was given out to fans in attendance and an official scorecard of the game.